Softly Falling: Series 1 Book 1
Prologue The soft sound of leaves flapping in the wind, was the only sound four cats heard, as they padded around a fallen tree. One, a gray tom with black spots, turned to his leader. His eyes were shadowed from the morning sun, by the maple trees around him. "I smell something strange," he commented, flicking his tail. A small white she-cat with yellow-eyes, twitched her whiskers in agreement, "I do too," Her mentor, a brown tabby with white markings turned to the fourth cat, "The forest is too big for us, we shouldn't worry if one or two cats cross our border," "True," replied the fourth cat, a large tan-colored she-cat, "But what if it is more than a few cats? I will order more patrols around this area once we get back," A noise in the bushes behind them, caused the cats to turn around. "So, it finally seems that the pathetic clan cats around here finally noticed us," stated a she-cat's voice. "Who's there," hissed the tan-colored cat. "Alison, leader of the rogues," the voice replied. A tortoiseshell she-cat as she emerged from the ferns around them. Two other she-cats followed, identical to the first, along with a silver tabby tom. "This is Cosette, my deputy and sister. This is Zoe, my other sister, and this is Edward, my mate," Alison pointed to each cat in turn. The tan-colored she-cat turned to the cats behind her. "I am Sandstar, this is Whitepaw and her mentor, Twigleaf, and that is Featherfang," "I know, I have been watching your clan for the last few moons and have decided to take over. Surrender now, you I will kill of your cats one by one," Sandstar glared at Alison, trying to seem unfazed by her threat. "My cats are stronger and are more trained then ours. You are no threat to us. You will be the ones to leave," Alison glared evilly at her, "It that so? Well, prepare to watch your cats die, Sandstar," Alison flicked her tail confidently, signaling for her cats to follow, "You will be the last to die," Chapter One: Buzzardkit "Buzzardkit, let's play!" A tortioseshell kit opened her light blue-eyes to stare at her sister, Songkit. "But I don't want to play," answered Buzzardkit closing her eyes. "You never want to play," answered Songkit ruffling her brown tabby fur impatiently. "Ask Stickkit," "Stickkit, tried to get out of camp again, and stepped on a thorn. Rockfur is treating him in his den," "Then ask Mousekit," "Mousekit's mother won't let me, since she doesn't like him to play with other cats. I asks Tunblewater also, but she says her kits are too young," Buzzardkit sighed. "It's less then a moon before we become apprentices, can't you sit still for once?" "No," replied Songkit, licking her fur, "Why can't we be apprentice now. I want to be out in the forest exploring!" Buzzardkit rolled her eyes, "I don't know why you think fighting seems fun. I glad Rockfur is letting me become his apprentice," "I can't believe you think not fighting I fun," Buzzardkit stood up, "Here, I'll see if Rockfur is done tending to Stickkit's thorn," She headed towards the entrance of the nursery, glancing back at her mother, Spottedbriar, who was sleeping peaceful near the other queens. Tumblewater's three one moon old kits squealed as she licked them. Coldheart was making sure that Mousekit, her four moon old kit, was staying away from the other kits. She entered the clearing in the middle of camp. Short stone walls sourrounded her. Toad spring and his apprentice, Waterpaw entered camp. The four elders laid next to their fallen oak tree. Buzzardkit almost ran into Flypaw and Badgerpaw, avoiding the overflowing fresh-kill pile. It was the middle of green-leaf, so food was all over the place, especially since, CloudClan's territory was bigger than it needed to be. She raced past Tallblaze and Littlepatch as she neared the medicine cat's den. Entering inside, she heard coughing. Two expecting queens, Honeyfall, and Rosestream, both had greencough, which was unusually for such warm weather. Stickkit was standing at the other side of the den, away from the sick queens, "Can I go out yet?" Rockfur, a gray tom, glanced up at the kit, "Yes, but remember to stay in camp until you are an apprentice," Stickkit sighed, but then headed towards Buzzardkit. "Songkit wants to know if you are able to play with her," commented Buzzardkit. "Okay," Stickkit meowed. Buzzardkit turned to asked Rockfur if there was anything she could help him with, when a cat yelled from outside. "Snakepaw is dead!" Chaptet Two: Stickkit Snakepaw is dead? thought Stickkit astonished. Snakepaw and his two siblings, Flypaw and Badgerpaw had all passed their warrior assessments earlier that day. All three had been expecting to become warriors that night. "What happened?" ordered Sandstar walking out of her stone den. "He wanted to hunt one more time as an apprentice, so he and I headed out into the forest," explained Whitepaw, Snakepaw'a closest friend. "I scented a squirrel, and he found a mouse's trail so we he got out of sight as I stalked my prey. Once I caught the squirrel, I padre. Around trying to find him, untill I ran into his body. The rogues we met two moons ago scent was all over him. I ran into Sweetseed, and she helped me bring him back to camp," Stickkit watched Whitepaw sit down next to the dead apprentice, along with Snakepaw two brothers. A grief striken wail, signaled the arrival of his mentor, Sunstone. He raced forward through the cats, and sat down with his head lowered. Stickkit turn to see his two sisters, Songkit, and Buzzardkit sit next him. "Stickkit, Buzzardkit, Songkit!" called Stickkit's mother, Spottedbriar. Stickkit turned and headed towards his mother. His two sisters followed. "Stay in the nursery," she ordered. The brown tabby kit entered the nursery, along with his siblings. "What are we going to do now?" inquired Songkit. "I'm going to sleep," responded Buzzardkit, curling up and closing her eyes. "Let's talk to Mousekit," suggested Stickkit. "Everytime I try to talk to him, Coldheart tells me to go away," complained Songkit. "Well, I going to try anyways," Stickkit padded slowly towards Coldheart. Her back was towards him, and she was trying to take a nap, but Stickkit wasn't sure if she was asleep yet. Sneaking around, he noticed Mousekit standing up, bored, playing with a small piece of moss. "Hi, Mousekit," Stickkit meowed softly. Mousekit lifted his head to look at Stickkit. "Do you want to play with me and Songkit?" Stickkit asked. Mousekit shifted his paws nervously. "If I do, Coldheart will yell at me for being useless," he commented sadly. "She's asleep, and why don't you ask Swallowflight's to tell her to be less mean to you?" "Swallowflight's only become her mate because she asked him too. Swallowflight's is too scared of her to say no to anything she asks," Stickkit sighed, thinking how lucky he was that Spottedbriar was nice to him and his siblings. "But she's asleep, and she has no right to make sure you don't have fun," "I guess," answered Mousekit, "But only for a little bit," "Come on then," Stickkit stated padding back around Coldheart. As they reached Songkit, she pounced on Mousekit, flattening him to the ground. "No far!" hissed Mousekit, "I wasn't ready!" "Not so loud," warned Stickkit glancing back at Coldheart. He leaped at Songkit, knocking her off her paws. Mousekit jumped to his paws, and raced around Songkit, blocking her path. Stickkit watched Songkit back up suddenly to avoid Mousekit, as Stickkit jumped on top of her. Mousekit knocked Stickkit off his paws, and fell to the ground. Standing up, he noticed that Songkit had Mousekit cornered. Racing forward, Stickkit rammened into Songkit, knocking him and her off their paws. Mousekit used this opportunity to stand on top of Songkit. Just as Mousekit was about to announce his victory, Stickkit noticed Coldheart sitting up. "Where are you Mousekit, you worthless piece of foxdung!" Coldheart hissed. Stickkit noticed Mousekit jump of his sister, with his tail lowered. "I was just having some fun," "You don't deserve to have fun. Now get back here," Stickkit watched sadly as Mousekit padded over to his mother, since it was his idea that they play. Chapter Three: Songkit Songkit opened her light blue-eyes, and stood up. The early morning sun shone in the nursery. She stretched each of her legs, then went over to the nursery entrance, where Stickkit was sitting. "Are you okay?" Songkit asked him. He turned towards her, "I feel bad about what happened with Mousekit yesterday." He admitted. Songkit bristled at this. "Fox-dung! You know it wasn't your fault! It's all Coldheart! You know that!" Stickkit looked startled at this. "Nevermind." Songkit sighed, her pelt going flat. "I'm going to get some prey for the queens!" She said proudly. Stickkit gasped. "All by yourself?" "Well, you could help me, if you want!" She offered. "Sure!" Stickkit and Songkit crept out of the den, and looked around. Nobody was awake except for Featherfang, who gaurded the entrance. The kits made a dash for the fresh-kill pile, and they pulled out three mice, and a vole. Stickkit dragged two of the mice by their tails, and Songkit dragged the vole and remaining mouse. Once inside the nursery, the put the fresh-kill by the entrance, and dashed back out. When they got there, a rabbit was sitting on the top! Flypaw was going back into the apprentice's den.Good ol' Flypaw! Thought Songkit happily. The queens will really love this! Songkit and Stickkit took the rabbit by it's ears, and took it to the nursery. When they got there, Honeyfall was starting to stir. The mischievous pair stole a glance at each other, then ran towards their nest. They acted like they were asleep, just like Buzzardkit. Honeyfall looked at the fresh-kill in surprise. "Were did this come from?" She wondered out loud. Spottedbriar looked up sleepily. "What?" Buzzardkit looked around just as sleepy. "Where did that come from?" She yawned. Songkit gave a little kick to Stickkit, and they both sat up as well. Songkit made her eyes widen in false surprise. "Goody! Food!" And she ran over to the vole. "Come on Buzzardkit! Let's share this!" She mewed quickly. Just as she was about to bite into the vole, Spottedbriar nosed the kit out of the way. "Hmm..."she padded to the rabbit and mice. She gave a good long sniff, and then she looked up. "Well well Honeyfall! Looks like we have some mischievous kits in the den!" She looked over at Songkit and Stickkit, who looked away intentionally. Sunpatch looked at her embarrassed kits. "I'm proud, not angry. Ill talk to Sandstar about your apprentice ceremony. After all, you are six moons old." Songkit's heart began to beat so fast, she thought Sandstar could hear it from his den. Songkit snuck out of the nursery and followed Spottedbriar to the leader's den. More Coming Soon Category:Fanfiction Category:Splash's Stories